


Moving Forward (means going back)

by KitschKit



Category: Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII, Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Dirge of Cerberus secret ending, Fix-It, Gen, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post Dirge of Cerberus, Rating May Change, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-15
Updated: 2016-04-19
Packaged: 2018-05-26 20:17:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 13,738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6254389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KitschKit/pseuds/KitschKit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cloud spots a figure flying while searching for the bodies of the Deepground elite. Fearing it may be Sephiroth, he teams up with Vincent to investigate.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. It's Only the Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Post DoC, but due to dubious science and materia use, time travel shenanagins will quickly lead to the Crisis Core era.
> 
> Please note I am taking huge liberties with the canon timeline and with canon itself, pretty much disregarding canon all together in regards to Deepground and the Tsviets. 
> 
> If this isn't a problem, then I hope you continue on and enjoy the story.

Cloud watches through narrowed eyes at the flying figure in the distance. He's checking for the remains of the Tsviets, knowing that not accounting for bodies has been the cause of messes in the past. Weiss's body is currently the only one unaccounted for, and that something looking potentially humanoid -- because even Cloud's mako enhanced eyes can't see that well  _that_ far away -- is highly suspect. He unsuccessfully tries to get a hold of Vincent and gives Shelke the message instead. He leaves the area when he realizes that there's little chance of finding Weiss's remains and instead heads back to Edge.

While waiting for Vincent to get back to him, he continues his normal routine. Tifa makes him promise not to go looking for trouble, but he's concerned. The last person he recalls flying in a similar fashion is Sephiroth, and while there haven't been any of the usual signs of a resurrection, he'd rather be safe than sorry. Shelke  _finally_ messages him that Vincent is on the road and ready to meet and he leaves under the guise of going on a delivery run, feeling only slightly guilty about lying to Tifa and the kids.

When he sees Vincent, the man looks annoyed, Reeve's voice coming from the PHS in his hand. With an abrubt click, the voice is cut off and Vincent grunts in greeting.

"I don't know why I let Yuffie talk me into getting one of these. It's convenient communication, but certain people like to call as if they were another." Cloud laughs, knowing Reeve would use any means to get into contact with someone.

"It's good to keep in contact." He turns serious. "Especially in situations like these. Have you found out anything?"

 "There's been sightings in Costa Del Sol and more recently North Corel." Cloud makes a face, if Barret suspects anything, he'll tell Tifa right away. Vincent smirks at his dilemma before continuing. "Given the trajectory, I thought we could visit Cid in Rocket Town, see if we hear anything, and we can take a look around." The blond nods in agreement and the two make their way to Junon to catch a boat to the Eastern Continent. 


	2. Information Gathering

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Cloud and Vincent on the Eastern Continent, they can finally start to question people for information on the sightings.

Costa Del Sol is just as bright and hot as Cloud remembers. Vincent very quickly escapes to the inn as soon as they land in the harbor, leaving him to interrogate the town's residents. He isn't very fond of the town either, so he very quickly finds out as much as he can. There isn't really anything solid, just a figure flying with a single black wing. He feels the knot that's been slowly growing in his stomach solidify and he thinks he's going to be sick. He hurries to the inn and tells Vincent, the amusement on his face quickly fading at the news. They leave the town in a hurry.

* * *

 The Corel area looks a lot better than the last time Cloud went through. It's much greener, and the people look happier. They are dirty from mining, from searching for oil, but they are recovering from ShinRa's various slights. The thought of these people having to suffer again because of a man that refuses to stay dead makes him feel like crying.

This time, Vincent does the asking, to give Cloud time to pull himself together. He pays a brief visit to Barret, attempting to be vague in his questions. It's pointless though, Barret is already very aware of the situation. He feels a little bad for his blond friend, because this almost assuredly means that Tifa also knows the situation, probably knows that Cloud lied, and will be leaving an angry voicemail on his PHS later. 

On the bright side, this also means that Barret has gathered as much information as he possibly could, and Vincent doesn't have to waste a lot of time talking to residents before heading on his way.

Unfortunately, Barret has about as much information for them as the beach bums of Costa Del Sol. There is more confirmation of a one-winged figure heading in the direction of the mountains between Rocket Town and Nibelhiem. The one piece of information that his friend can add to is that the wing seems to be located on the left side of their body.

He thanks Barret for his help and goes to gather Cloud. They discuss the implications of this new information as they head towards Rocket Town. 

* * *

 They stop somewhere inbetween the two areas to rest. Cloud is unable to make himself sleep, too busy trying to puzzle out this new knowledge. Every iteration of Sephiroth has had that single black wing on the right side of his body, and this mystery person has a wing on the left. Could it mean there is a new player in the ever tiring game of save the planet? Could it still be Sephiroth? His thoughts circle round and round until he finally succumbs to sleep.

* * *

 Vincent wakes Cloud the next morning with meat from something the Galian Beast most likely killed. He eats it without a comment, too exhausted to hold a real conversation. They clean up after themselves quickly, eager to get to Rocket Town.

The next couple of hours are boring and without issue. Vincent keeps a close eye on their surroundings and lets Cloud drift among his thoughts. They both know they'll end up in Nibelhiem, but Cloud is still trying to pretend they won't. He doesn't want to go back to that place.

* * *

 Cloud barely notices the area around him changing, until suddenly they're in Rocket Town.

 


	3. The Calm Before the Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vincent and Cloud arrive in Rocket Town and the crew is once again brought together, with a few additions.

Cloud decides to see if there's any jobs to pick up while he asks around town for any sightings or more information. Vincent decides to visit Cid first instead, knowing the man might have had his own sighting while staring at the skies. He knocks on his door, unsuprised when he ushers him onto the couch and hands him a cup of tea.

"Was 'bout ta go pick ya up myself when Barret called. 'Course Tifa called right after. I don't think yer gonna go south with Cloud without 'er comin' along." Cid grins and lights up a cigarette.

"I'm not surprised. I suppose she wants you to go get her?" Vincent sips his tea almost daintily as the other man sniggers.

"Almost the whole damn crew! Cloud is gonna get an earful though, so tha' should be entertainin'. Speakin' of, where is the bastard?" Vincent gestures vaguely and Cid rolls his eyes. "Around, got it. So how's Shelke?" They pass the time with small talk, although Cid eventually notices how tired the man is and tells him to rest.

* * *

 When Cloud walks into the house, he finds both of them asleep, Vincent slumped over with his head on Cid's shoulder, the other man with his head tilted back and snoring. He quickly snaps a picture with his PHS, making a mental note to show Yuffie at a later point. He clears his throat, causing Vincent to bolt upright and point his gun at him, and Cid to startle awake.

He smirks and motions to the couch. Vincent ducks his head behind his collar, but Cloud is positive he saw a blush. It's a nice moment of levity for him.

Shera comes out of the bedroom at that moment, blinking at the sight of two of her favorite people in her living room. She bats at Cid, scolding him for not waking her up. She fusses over Cloud, disappearing into the kitchen momentarily. She comes back with a cup of tea for him, then turns her attention to Vincent. His blush returns tenfold as the pretty scientist gushes over him. Cloud thinks it's pretty funny that Vincent's  _still_ not used to people caring and showing affection so openly. 

* * *

 Sometime later, Vincent and Cloud set off towards Nibelhiem. Meanwhile, Shera and Cid prepare the airship for launch, the latter wondering just how much trouble they would get into this time.

They stop near Edge first, picking up a large portion of the crew. Reeve, Yuffie, and Shelke, holding Cait Sith in her arms, board first. Tifa comes in with Denzel and Marlene trailing after her, sheepishly asking if they can stop by Kalm to ask Elmyra to watch the kids. There's a lot of grumbling on Cid and the children's part, but they manage to get them safe. Elmyra offers a silent prayer as she watches the airship depart.

Instead of heading to Corel, they decide to go Cosmo Canyon. Yuffie is the first of the ship once it touches down, Tifa quickly joining her. Cait Sith follows them, though the others remain on the ship. Once Yuffie finishes heaving, the three of them venture further into the canyon. Nanaki is quick to greet them, wondering what could have brought them here. He's quiet during their explanation, Cait Sith being the first to break the silence.

"Sae ur ye joinin' us noo laddie?" The robotic cat is grinning at him in annoying manner, but Nanaki nods and gives a toothy smile.

"I suppose it couldn't stay quiet around here for that long." The four of them head back to the ship, and with a quick stop to Corel for Barret, they're all on their way to Nibelhiem.


	4. Nibelhiem

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone arrives in Nibelhiem and the mysterious figure is revealed.

Once Cloud and Vincent manage to get through the majority of the mountains, they take a small break. The two are quickly back on their feet and head into Nibelhiem.

Cloud wastes no time in heading for the ShinRa Mansion, although Vincent lags behind to examine the abandoned buildings for any sign of life. Cloud searches the entire lower floor in the time it takes Vincent to get to the mansion. He pauses at the hole in the pavement, remembering his fight with Rosso the Crimson, before heading inside.

He gives a cursory look around to the first floor before heading up the stairs. Cloud is just finishing with the west wing as Vincent gets to the top, and they head into the east wing together. He lets the blond search the other rooms of the wing, deciding to head into the room with the hidden stairs to the basement.

He blinks in surprise as he enters the room. Weiss the Immaculate lays on the bed in the room, his chest rising and falling only slightly. He's alive, but barely. It isn't at all what Vincent expects to find. He's still stood there staring when Cloud comes in behind him.

"Vincent? Is everything alright? Have you-- oh. Oh." He stares for a moment as well before glancing at Vincent and nodding to himself. "You guard the body, I'll go check for anyone below. Call me if anyone shows up." Cloud gets a small nod in return, and he takes a deep breath before carefully descending the stairs to the basement.

When he reaches the bottom, the first thing he checks is the room where he first found Vincent. It's devoid of anything thankfully, and he moves on. He pauses right outside the lab, listening intently for movement. There's the sound of shuffling papers and someone muttering to themself. He presses close to the wall and peaks around the corner.

The person is standing there is turned the other way, but judging by the build, he'd say it's a man. A man who is thankfully not Sephiroth. The person is built a lot like Vincent, though not nearly as tall. All Cloud can see of his clothing is a red leather coat, bits of armor and netting around it. The color and cut of the man's hair is strikingly similar to Shelke's when they first met. Cloud tries to edge closer without alerting him, but the man whirls around as he shifts and he finds himself with a crimson blade pointed towards his throat.

The man's face, now that he can see it, is rather pretty. He holds himself with poise and moves rather gracefully. His eyes are the same shade of blue as Shelke's though they are hard as ice as the man glares at him. Cloud feels an odd sense of familiarity, but he can't place the man at all. Then he notes the SOLDIER First uniform under the coat and his eyes widen.

"Who are you." His voice is deep with a slight lilt to it, and he speaks with authority, so much so that the question is more of a demand. Cloud decides that a sword to the throat is probably a good indication he should stop observing the man and start asking questions himself. He steels himself and returns the glare, hand on the hilt of the main blade of the fusion sword, ready to be drawn at any moment.

"I should ask you the same thing. This is not a pleasant place. You wear a SOLDIER uniform, I would think you would know to avoid labs." The man takes a step back and lowers his blade slightly, though his posture is no less hostile.

"You hold yourself like a SOLDIER, you should know to avoid anything with the name ShinRa attached." They stare at each other, neither moving or saying a word, until--

"Cloud?" The blond almost curses at the smirk the other man gives him. He doesn't make a threatening move, probably due to how young the voice calling him sounds.

"I'm here, Shelke. I'm not alone though." The girl comes to stand beside him and she stares at the man in front of them, though he returns the stare in confusion. They look a lot alike.

"Genesis Rhapsodos..." She murmurs the name, almost reverently. Cloud recognizes the name as the one revealed to be the genetic donor of the Tsviets, and he pushes Shelke behind him protectively as the man now known as Genesis starts. The smirk slides back onto his face, though this one seems rather fake in comparison.

"Recognition at last. 'Even if the morrow is barren of promises, nothing shall forestall my return.'"

"Loveless..." The redhead's face lights up briefly.

"Very good, Cloud, was it? Now, tell me, what brings you here?" He knows why this man is familiar to him now, even though his memories are his own now, he can recall a few of Zack's, and this man is someone Zack knew. 

Without really meaning to, he turns his attention to the still standing mako tanks, gaze directed to where he knows 'Feeding time, that's our chance' is etched into the glass. 

He feels sick again, and he turns his attention back to Genesis. "We'll talk later, I can't be in here right now." He grabs Shelke's hand and practically drags her up the stairs, back into a room that is now full of people. He nods at them all, and exits, leaving the manor to sit outside in the cold.

* * *

 Tifa is not excited to be back in Nibelhiem. Yuffie is again the first one off the ship when they land, but almost everyone is off the ship before she is. Nanaki is the only one that remains, and she's grateful that he lets her stroke his fur.

"Cloud may be experiencing similar feelings right now. He may need your help." She offers the feline a small smile, and he leads her off the ship.

It takes her a while to realize how long it's been since she last set foot in town, but upon seeing the inside of the manor, it hits her hard. Not only is the inside dusty, but the wood has lost practically all its color and in many places it's starting to rot. Even though it's ShinRa, she feels a sense of loss for the place. 

The two of them are the last ones to the room leading to the basement, and Tifa is shocked to see one of the Tsviets on the bed. By the time she recovers, Cloud is already storming out of the building, and she knows she won't be yelling at him today.

Instead, she follows him outside and sits beside him, the pair of them staring up at the sky in silence. Eventually, they end up in each others arms, both of them wanting to cry, but tears refusing to fall. 

She pulls away first, giving him a watery smile. "Do you remember the promise you made me?"

That gets a laugh out of Cloud. " I promised if you were ever in any trouble, I'd come save you."

"Right. Well, I want to promise you the same thing now, Cloud. I'll come save you if you're in trouble." The 'So, please don't try to hide things' was heavily implied, but she bit her tongue to keep from saying it out loud. Cloud gives her a fond smile and kisses the top of her head.

"Thanks, Tifa."

 

 


	5. A Brief Explanation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Genesis and Cloud have their chat.

When Genesis finally surfaces from the basement, he is not pleased to find nearly a dozen people in the rooms with Weiss. 

"Get. Out. You can stay, but everyone else needs to get  _out_." He motions to Cloud and Shelke as he glares at everyone in the room. His glare sharpens as he realizes, yes that is Reeve Tuesti, head of ShinRa Urban Development.

"It's fine. If anything happens I'll yell." Tifa sends Cloud a concerned look, but sighs and starts to herd everyone else out of the room.

 "I'm gonna beat yo' ass if you die on us, Spiky!" Barret grins at him before Tifa finally forces him out of the room. 

"Remember, I'll come save you." Cloud smiles and waves her off, turning to Genesis once everyone is out of sight. 

"Not only do _you_ come here, but you bring a hoard of people with you to crowd Weiss as well?" Genesis crosses his arms and glares, though he feels it's only half serious. Instead of answering, he watches Shelke as she sits on the bed next to Weiss. She smooths the hair from his face, and both men watch her.

"Azul told me you ordered my death. But... I wonder...did you really? I don't want think so, but everything has always been so wrong..." She smiles sadly, and Cloud is struck by how much she's grown. She leans forward and presses a kiss to his forehead. His eyes flutter slightly, and Genesis lets out a breath he didn't know he was holding. Shelke moves to get up, but there's a grip on her wrist and when she looks back, Weiss is focusing on her. 

"It didn't--he's gone." Shelke stares, as do the the other two in the room. She nods and he closes his eyes, a whispered no louder than any yell could have been. She turns to Cloud.

"I'm going to go see Vincent now." Cloud nods and Genesis watches her leave before turning back to Weiss.

"She got him to wake..." He makes a movement, as if to touch the sleeping man, but stops with a shake of his head and turns to the blond. "Why are you here?"

Cloud sighs and leans against the wall, staring up at the ceiling. "I was looking for the bodies of Tsviets; one too many incidents have happened due to the dead not staying dead. I happened to spot a figure flying, and I was worried it was Sephiroth come back from the dead  _again_. Vincent and I tracked the rumors, and I found you in the basement." Genesis opens his mouth only to close it once more.

"Sephiroth doesn't have a wing." Cloud gives him a blank look.

"As someone who has had to kill the man several times, I can guarantee that his most recent appearance in fact had a wing. That he used to fly." Genesis sniffs in disdain.

"He finally realized who was better and tried to emulate me. I can't blame him." He laughs bitterly, looking out the window. "'My friend, do you fly away now? To a world that abhors you and I? All that awaits you is a somber morrow, no matter where the winds may blow.'"

"You...knew Zack...right?" Genesis turns rather quickly. "Somehow, I think...that's why you seemed so familiar."

"Why do you ask?" He sounds suspicious.

"I don't normally bring him up, but chasing after what I thought was Sephiroth and ending up here... I feel like this is where it all started. Although, I suppose that's true." It's Cloud's turn to laugh bitterly. "Why are you here Genesis? Why did you take Weiss?" The redhead stares at him for a long time before answering.

"His work isn't done yet....and I'm researching." Both cringe at the use of 'researching,' so Cloud waits for him to explain. "I was angry for a long time, too angry to realize what I was doing. Zack...saved me in the end. He was a hero. I'm looking for a way to fix it, to fix everything." Cloud stares before grinning.

"Do you need a hand?" Genesis smirks in response.

"Tell your friends it seems we're working together."

They spend the rest of the day telling their stories and how Zack saved them. Cloud feels a bond with the man that he hasn't felt with the rest of his friends, and he thinks it's all due to Zack. 


	6. Too Many Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Genesis finds his plans being rewritten by Cloud and company.

Nanaki is the only one who doesn't join them in the extensive library in the basement, keeping watch on Weiss instead. Shelke, Reeve, and Shera brave the labs to dig through whatever they may find. Vincent probably could as well, but he's had enough of the labs in this particular place. The rest comb the extensive libraries, conversation flowing freely throughout the rooms. Cloud doesn't remember the last time he's felt this light. 

* * *

 No one is particularly sure what they're looking for, but Vincent has taken to searching through Lucrecia Crescent's work. He can't say he's completely over the woman, but the hurt and betrayal is slowly lessening, in part helped by his companions. He comes up from the libraries to find Nanaki trying to calm a slightly hysterical Weiss. The man stills when he spots Vincent. 

He tells the crimson feline to go alert the others as he moves forward, hardly able to keep his eyes off Weiss as well. Nanaki rushes down the stairs, and soon enough Genesis and Shelke are in the room with them. Weiss still doesn't take his eyes off Vincent, although he inclines his head in their direction.

"I'm not going to fight you at the moment, if that's what you are concerned about." Weiss shakes his head and moves forward, almost with reverence.

"They aren't gone. Muted perhaps, but not gone." There's a distinct lack of complete insanity to him, though Vincent thinks he looks lost and maybe more than a little broken. "Everything is--it all feels so different."

"Hojo is gone. I suspect that helps. Omega was defeated, so I should think he is being quiet. Do you remember everything?" Weiss shudders and nods, a heavy breath leaving him. Shelke sits on the bed with both men, and Genesis silently watches as they all talk.

* * *

Genesis's original plan had consisted of himself and Weiss going back to fix things. By the end of his and Cloud's first talk, it had expanded to include the blond man. Now, said blond is arguing with him, trying to get him to agree to send everyone back.

"We're going back to try and fix everything, and there is no way I'm losing my best friend to something like not being able to bond over horrible trials. Besides, these are the people that helped me save the world. Reeve has the added benefit of being able to help within ShinRa, and Shelke can help Weiss." Genesis is about to argue that too many people involved would be counterproductive, although he is considering Vincent and Shelke, but Vincent chimes in.

"I can easily take care of DeepGround with Weiss and Shelke. Yuffie is the one that's least productive with this plan, depending on how far back you can get us, she would be very young. However, she is next in line for the throne of Wutai, and her father dotes on her. If we send her back as well, we may be able to get an ally in our eventual fight against ShinRa. Weiss, Shelke, and I may even be able lay low there once we dismantle DeepGround." Yuffie's loud yell of approval is pretty much ignored.

Once again, before he can open his mouth, someone else is talking. "Besides Tifa had Seventh Heaven! It was our base of operations, 'n' I can gather up old Avalanche members to try 'n' help you and Spiky!" Barret grins and adjusts his gun hand, excited at the prospect of taking down ShinRa.

"Cloud and I were both at Nibelhiem when everything started to go down. And speaking of the bar, I can go with him when he leaves to join the military this time, set up the bar early, and then you'd have a base within Midgar." Genesis is getting slightly overwhelmed with how fast everyone seems to be chiming in.

"I'm not sure if I'll be within Hojo's clutches at whatever time we arrive. In the early stages, it was easy to slip out of the cage he had me in. I was too enraged at the time to see, but I could easily sabotage some of his works. There is also the benefit of a base within Cosmo Canyon." Nanaki nods his head after saying his piece and goes to stand by Shelke and Weiss.

"Shera an' I worked for ShinRa as well an' it seems like ya need all the help you can get in that place." Shera nods beside and before anyone else can chime in, Genesis yells for silence.

"Fine, I understand, none of you are to be left behind. Is there anything else or shall we get back to work?" Shelke, Vincent and Weiss head back towards Dr. Crescent's work, while Nanaki heads towards the other rooms to try to do some sort of cleaning. The others scatter for the most part, though Cloud and Reeve remain. Genesis has to stop himself from snapping at both of them. "What?"

"There may actually be a benefit of adding more people to this plan." The older man glances at Cloud, noting the distaste in his eyes. "Rufus ShinRa and the remaining Turks for example."

 Genesis shakes his head. "That's too many people."

Cloud sounds very grudging when he speaks. "While I don't particularly like or want Rufus in on this, it probably would help. But there's no way he'll go anywhere without at least one Turk. Maybe just Tseng?"

Genesis gave it some thought. "Fine. If ShinRa completely disappeared from the people's lives it would create chaos. If you think Rufus ShinRa could make a decent leader, I'll allow it. I do recall Tseng being a decent sort. I know he often worked with Zack when they were chasing me." He sighs and waves his hand in dismissal.

"Still unable to find a cure?" Reeve looks calculating as Genesis nods. He shoots Cloud a look. "Those that have died should still be alive..." 

Cloud gasps and nods excitedly. He'd been so focused on figuring out  _how_ to go go back he hadn't realized who would be there. He latched onto Genesis, grabbing his arms. "Don't worry about a cure, I've got it covered. Let's get back to researching!" Reeve chuckles as he watches the blond drag the SOLDIER back to work before heading over to talk to Cid.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is probably the last chapter that holds any sort of canon compliance, just as a warning.


	7. Materia Madness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rufus and Tseng get dragged to ShinRa Mansion, where they manage to find a way to the past.

Cid isn't pleased that Cloud is making him pick up  _Rufus ShinRa_ of all people. The two blonds are the only two on the ship, the rest of their companions back at the manor researching, rather than all of them wasting time to go talk to the ShinRa heir. They get to Edge rather quickly, and Cloud wastes no time in finding Rufus. He wants to get this particular interaction over with.

He finds Reno and Rude first. Reno is lounging against the wall of a building, giving off all sorts of smug vibes. Rude maintains some sort of professionalism and nods as he secretly rolls his eyes at Reno's antics. Reno pushes off the wall and swaggers over to Cloud.

"Cloud, man, what a surprise to see you here. Change your mind about workin' for ShinRa?" Cloud grits his teeth and tries not to say anything insulting.

"I need to see your boss. Where is he?" Reno smirks and opens his mouth to say something when Elena peeks her head out of the door to the building.

"Cloud! I thought I heard you. Do you need something?" The redhead in front of him looks very put out and Cloud smirks at him as he moves toward the blonde woman. Rude puts a consoling hand on his partner's shoulder as he pouts.

"Thanks Elena. I need to speak to Rufus." She nods and leads him to the main office of the building, babbling in his ear the entire time. He doesn't really pay attention to her and is grateful when Tseng interrupts her to tell her to go back to her paperwork.

"Strife. A pleasure to see you. I suppose you wish to speak to Rufus alone?" Cloud grunts in greeting but otherwise shakes his head.

"I have a proposition for him, although it includes you as well." Rufus finally strolls into the room, looking slightly surprised to see him there before schooling his expression into that infuriating smirk. 

"Cloud Strife, what a surprise. To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" Cloud sighs and drops into a chair, not really wanting to play mind games but knowing there isn't a choice when it comes to the obnoxious blond.

"How would you like the chance to make ShinRa great?" He smiles, knowing he's got both men's attention.

* * *

It's surprisingly easy to get Rufus to agree to their plan. Tseng is harder, but he's unwilling to let Rufus do this alone. They agree to meet up later; Rufus and Tseng to gather some research of their own, Cloud wants to go get some of his things, he hadn't realized they'd be there so long. Everyone finds themselves on Cid's ship about an hour later. 

Rufus manages to engage both Cid and Cloud in a conversation about their plans. The time passes quickly and Cloud is surprised that the other blond manages not to be an ass. He finds himself back in Nibelhiem more quickly than he'd have wished, and he leads the way past houses that should be burnt to the ground. Rufus only spares a glance at the hole in the pavement outside the manor, then makes his way inside. His nose wrinkles in distaste at the state of the place, but he follows Cloud up to the second floor regardless. The second floor is in a slightly better state, and he spots Nanaki cleaning in one of the rooms of the east wing. The feline gives him a cordial nod and gives a toothy grin to Tseng. He calls out to Cloud and lets him know that all of the west wing rooms have been cleaned out. Cloud thanks him and continues to lead them to the libraries. 

Tseng is unsurprised to see the majority of Avalanche in the libraries below. He is surprised by Weiss the Immaculate poking through files with Vincent Valentine and Shelke Rui. The greatest shock for him however is Genesis Rhapsodos. He pulls out his gun quickly aiming directly between the man's eyes. He only blinks before bowing with a dramatic flair.

"ShinRa and his lapdog, I can't say I'm pleased for you be apart of my plan. Cloud, however, has convinced me that it would be beneficial." He stops when he sees the expression on Cloud's face. "Oh, you're no fun. Tseng, if you'd please lower the gun, I would appreciate it."

"I guess I forgot to mention Genesis." Cloud scratches the back of his neck and looks sheepishly at the dark haired man. He nudges Genesis and the man sighs as he is forced to relay how he survived. When he's finished, Rufus shrugs and hands him files he's collected. Then he demands they be pointed to the nearest computers so they can hack into ShinRa's remaining science files.

* * *

It's a week later when they find something promising. Vincent finds some files on other materia research while he and Weiss look into the Lucrecia's Protomateria research. Gemesis is the first to read it and everyone is quiet as it's passed around the room. Rufus is the first to speak.

"I believe that research facility is still operational. Or at the least, untouched. It's in Mideel, near the lodge." Tseng quietly confirms his statement. They all argue for a while, but it's eventually decided that Cid will take Tseng, Vincent, and Genesis to the research facility while the rest stay here. Cloud wants to go and really prefers that they grab the materia and perform any experiments here, but Tseng convinces him that they need to see if there are more extensive files in the Mideel labs anyway.

After another week passes, Cloud starts to get to restless and Nanaki takes him out into the mountains to hunt. It's almost refreshing to him. He doesn't visit often, but he can remember the landscape and creatures that inhabit the mountains well. They're dangerous and it's quite the thrill to fight them. By the end of their impromptu hunt, both of them are more than a little bloody. As they haul back their various kills, he thanks the feline, but he just gives him a toothy grin.

* * *

Genesis returns to a group of eager faces. He wants to play with his audience, but Vincent and Tseng step forward before he even has a chance to bait them. He pouts in disappointment, but listens to them explain their findings. Once they finish talking about the experiments on an overly powerful Time materia, he steps forward.

 "So, this," he pulls out the materia with flourish,"is our best bet. As previously mentioned, we have quite a sizeable group, and some of us are a little too notable to have a second copy of ourselves running around. Plus who knows what would happen if we were to interact with ourselves. The problem being we still haven't found definite proof of the ability to move our minds. I have a few ideas to remedy this, but I'm not sure how well any will work." Cloud slaps Yuffie's hand away as she reaches to most likely pilfer the shining green materia. 

"So we run a few tests, that doesn't seem too difficult. What do you have in mind, exactly?" Tifa looks at him patiently, running her fingers through her hair. He's quiet for a few moments, thinking over his ideas.

"First we cast Barrier, we only want this affecting a select group and not the entire area. Then, I'm thinking we use Manipulate and Transform in tandem. I don't know that the effect will be what I'm hoping for, but it's worth a try. I'm certainly glad Cloud thought to bring along the rest of his materia." The blond smiles at him and he ignores the flare of victory that brings him. 

* * *

 Tifa and Cloud are the first to try this experiment. They determine out of all of them, Genesis is, in compliance with his boasts, the best with materia. So they go outside, the rest of the group standing back behind Genesis as he casts Barrier on them. Cloud smiles at Tifa when she gets nervous and she remembers to breath. They both nod when Genesis asks if they're ready, and he simultaneously casts Manipulate and Transform, willing it to transfer their minds to each other.

Nothing happens for a few moments. Then Cloud starts to laugh. "It worked! It actually worked!" Tifa, or rather Cloud, stares down at his friend's body. His center of gravity is very different and he's not sure he enjoys being in Tifa's body.

"Can you switch us back?" Tifa is still laughing as Genesis concentrates and casts once more. Then Tifa is back to laughing in her own body, and he DeBarriers them. Everyone starts talking at once, but the redhead doesn't let himself get too excited. It may work switching a mind within bodies that reside in the same time period but he's not sure that it will work with a single person going back in time. 

* * *

The day comes rather quickly when they finally decide enough experimentation has been done. They gather entirely too many ethers, because no is sure how much strain this going to cause. Everyone stands together, touching each other or the Time materia in some way.

Genesis equips a Mega All and carefully casts Barrier. He looks around, inspecting the corners and checking that it covers all of them. He takes a breath and concentrates, hoping that he can successfully cast three spells simultaneously. Cloud watches carefully ready to give him an ether should he need it. He takes another breath, then casts Manipulate, Transform, and Time. He wills it to listen, and he can feel the power struggling against him. Time is not meant to be bent so far to man's will, but Genesis is nothing if not stubborn. He feels the ether renewing his mana stores, feels it happening again. He closes his eyes and grits his teeth, until suddenly it's easier to bend to his will. He hears a voice that sounds suspiciously like Zack sigh in his ear.

"Really Genesis, you had to drag Cloud into this. I might as well help then." There's a tinkling laugh, and a voice he doesn't recognize.

"Don't let him fool you, he would've helped anyway." He opens his eyes, but there's only blinding white, and then everything goes black.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are several ships going on later, none of which will happen while a character is underage. I'd like to reiterate that, because next chapter everyone is thrown back, and several characters are under 18. This is a slow burn, and while there may be some large age gaps, nothing of a sexual nature will happen until all parties involved are legal. That being said I haven't completely finished hammering out who ends up with who. I'm actually contemplating Rosso and Vincent currently, but who knows what will happen there.


	8. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone is flung into the past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've altered the timeline a bit, mainly ages rather than any real canon. Moving Forward's original timeline would have Cloud leaving home at 18 to join the military. I kind of accidentally deleted this, so I don't recall all my notes. Woops. 
> 
> Thank you for the kudos, bookmarks, and comments! It's very flattering, and I'm glad that so many people are enjoying this <3

When Cloud opens his eyes, it's to a room that he hasn't been in a long time. He can hear someone -- his mother he thinks distantly-- puttering around in the kitchen. He rolls out of bed and he finds everything very different. He's shorter, much shorter. He wasn't a tall man to begin with, but the mako had definitely helped him gain some height. As of this moment, he thinks he's somewhere around 5'4, which is three inches below his normal height. He groans and makes note that while he's short and stocky and unenhanced, he feels like he's more muscular than he remembers himself being when he was young, although he can't tell for certain what he age he's meant to be in this moment. Judging by the posters on his wall, he's close to leaving, but not quite there. Sephiroth's face stares at him, and clippings of the things he's done hang all over his room. He's almost ashamed he was this big of a fan. There are a few clippings about Angeal Hewley and Genesis on his wals as well, though nowhere near the amount of Sephiroth. Cloud sighs and walks out of his room, steeling himself to see his mother.

He's still surprised to find his mother in the kitchen, alive and well. It's been such a long time since he's seen her, he's almost forgotten what she looks like. But she's standing there, humming to herself as she she cooks, blonde hair falling from the bun on the back of her head. His eyes start to water, and he manages to wait until she's turn off the stove, but then he throws himself at her and hugs her, his face buried in her shoulder.

"Cloud? Honey, what's wrong?" He shakes his head and she laughs softly, stroking his hair.

"Nothing, I love you mom." And oh his voice is a shock for him, he sounds so young, he's not quite finished with puberty.

"I love you too, baby. And Cloud?" She pulls away to stare at his face, her blue eyes twinkling. "Happy birthday."

* * *

 Cloud takes the day to get used to being back in this time period - and to take down pretty much every poster he has of Sephiroth. There's a lot, it's the year before he leaves, and his walls are covered. He stores them in a drawer because he can't quite bring himself to throw them away, mainly because he can actually remember everything up until this exact point with sudden clarity. He leaves the clippings for now, as a reminder to himself. Sephiroth was once great. He needs to remember that before he sees him again.

It takes him almost half the day to remember that Vincent is still locked up. He rushes out the door after that, grabbing the sword his mother has gifted him. He runs into Tifa as he leaves, a soft grunt escaping him. She almost falls, but he catches her. Her white cat, Skadi, is behind her, staring up at them both.

"It's funny isn't it, that we managed to land back to your birthday a year before you left?" He smiles at her and she hugs him, excited at the chance to save their town and families. "Are you headed to get Vincent?" He nods and she falls into step beside him. They quietly go over their plan; get Vincent, go pack and then head out. Tifa points out that they may need to do something to get some gil, but really all they're worried about is getting through the mountains quickly enough that their parents don't catch up with them.

The two manage to sneak into the ShinRa mansion without much trouble, most of the monsters within not existing as the company still used the place. Luckily, no one seemed to be inhabiting the manor at the time. They trigger the mechanism to release Vincent, then make their way to the basement. It feels natural to be down there with how much time they've spent researching. When they get to the room with the coffins, Vincent is already waiting for them.

* * *

 Vincent waits at the edge of the mountain for them to finish preparing. It's night when they meet up again, both of them wanting to stay with their parents for as long as they can, and Tifa carries her cat with her. They make great progress, Tifa and Cloud know the mountains well enough to avoid any real fights with the wildlife and Vincent is quick to scare off anything that may get in their way. By the time they break to rest, they're already halfway through the mountains. Vincent lets them sleep for about an hour and a half before waking them. He's not sure how long it will take for anyone to notice his friends are missing.

 They continue on through the mountains, making great time. When they finally get through to the other side, no one is waiting for them. There's no town, no house, nothing that Vincent, Cloud and Tifa once knew is there. It's about an hour later that Cid and Shera show up, landing a small plane where the town should be. It's then that they realize that the rocket hasn't even really begun to be worked on, there's no failure and therefore no town to stay at.

* * *

 Cloud doesn't want to let Tifa go off on her own when they reach Midgar, so he follows her to the slums where Seventh Heaven resides, carrying Skadi for her, while Vincent disappears into thin air. It's not finished quite yet, but the carpenter working on it takes one look at Tifa and claims she's perfect for the bar he envisions. She's not quite flirting with the man, but she gets the information she wants. The bar will be finished in about a week's time, Tifa manages to secure her place there and they leave to meet up with Cid, Shera having left to pick up Barret in Corel and Nanaki in Cosmo Canyon.

He isn't that hard to find. They find him near Wall Street, looking through wares. He isn't alone though, a brunette woman is gesturing wildly next to him, a blue and white dress hanging off her figure. She turns to them suddenly with a smile. Tifa gasps and Cloud freezes. He knew she'd be alive, but it's still a shock. 

She has that knowing smile and she's suddenly in front of him, gently touching his face. "Thank you, Cloud. For everything." He bows his head, tears running down his face. Tifa steps forward, transfixed.

"Aerith? Are you- do you remember?" Cloud doesn't watch her, he's too overwhelmed.

"I think it would be best to do this elsewhere." She takes all of them to her house and Cloud can feel the Lifestream flowing around them. He's just as stunned this time as the first he saw the place, all the flowers just as pretty. It's been so long...

Elmyra doesn't seem surprised to see them, just sighs and asks if she should expect anyone else. Cid stays and makes some tea, knowing his friends need time to talk to her.

* * *

 Aerith takes them to the garden. There's a blanket on the ground and Aerith motions for them to take a seat. 

"It's been a while." She smiles and Cloud almost starts to cry again. "He should be here soon you know." Cloud finally looks at her, eyes wide. Zack? 

"It's really you, isn't it?" Tifa moves quickly and the two girls are embracing. Cloud can't seem to focus on what they're saying, so he tunes them out as they chatter. He's snapped out of his stunned silence by a hand on his shoulder.

"Sorry I'm late, Angeal would  _not_ let me go. I can't say I miss his lectures. It's good to see you Spike." Zack smiles down at him as Aerith throws herself into his arms. It's a teary reunion on everyone's part, and Cloud has to stop himself from apologizing to both of them. He's past that now.

* * *

 Elmyra is kind enough to let Tifa, Nanaki, and Cloud stay with her and Aerith until Seventh Heaven is complete. Cid and Shera already have apartments at ShinRa, and they keep Barret with them, although all three of them visit. Staying in the house with Aerith for a week, Cloud manages to get over the shock of having her back. Zack takes a little longer because he has to sneak away from ShinRa.

It's almost weird to him, how different their dynamic is. Any sort of flirting that may have once occurred with Aerith was clearly because he had meshed with Zack. He looks at Aerith and Tifa and laughs because nothing has changed, they're still planning shopping trips and making mischief. Zack and Aerith are different, he'd only ever seen them together in the Lifestream. The way they look at each other and interact, Cloud can clearly tell they're meant for each other. Himself and Aerith is a completely new dynamic to Cloud. She's not any different with any of them, smiling and teasing him without mercy. But he almost feels shy because she never got to meet the real him. It doesn't take long for her to break him out of his shell.

* * *

 When Seventh Heaven is finished, Vincent appears out of nowhere to check out their new base. Shera, Cid, and Barret join in, Zack even comes down from above plate.

The building looks more like the newer bar that they're all used to, Tifa somehow convincing the carpenter to add to his original design. The pinball machine is already there, ready to take them down to the hidden basement. Besides the bar, it's the only furnishing in the place. After checking out the upstairs and basement, they head back to the main area. Tseng is there, looking around disinterested.

"Rufus wanted me to give you this. He said to decorate in a manner that will let him attend. Go all out with the liquor I believe his words were." Tseng leaves with a smirk and Tifa declares they have to go shopping. No one protests.

* * *

Cloud is convinced letting Aerith and Tifa have unlimited access to Rufus's money is a terrible idea. Cid and Shera are in the basement, setting up all the tech they've bought. He and Barret are setting up furniture, Vincent setting up furniture in the basement.  

The basement is pretty impressive, filled with hi-tech computers, a television, several bunk beds, and a large conference table with chairs. There's a bathroom in the corner and shelves of rations just in case. Cid looks entirely too pleased when they finish.

Upstairs is the next floor they work on. Cloud and Barret have already set up Tifa's room, tons of cat toys and a small desk inside so Tifa can keep everything organized. The other three rooms get set up for Barret, Cloud, and Vincent. Nanaki happily stays with Barret in his room.

Meanwhile, Tifa and Aerith continue their shopping, Zack coming along for extra protection. They check out various cooking appliances and bar accessories, visit a supplier, and finish picking out the rest of things the bar needs to be opened. It's mainly Tifa picking the best supplies and Aerith picking decorations while Zack makes plans to pick everything up or get it delivered later. 

It takes a few days, but Seventh Heaven is open and ready for business.


	9. Only Time Will Tell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seventh Heaven is open for business.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Given the timeline, pretty much every Turk is around, other than Elena, who is supposed to be working in a pub while she's in school. So other than Legend, Shuriken, Nunchaku, and Knife, the Turks are going by the names they're referred to in Last Order's notes; Alvis Crisis (Rod), Emma (Gun) otherwise known as Elena's older sister, Ruluf (Two Guns), Freyra (Shotgun), Maur (Martial Arts male), Juget (Martial Arts female), Balto (Katana). Shuriken was obviously named Cissnei in Crisis Core, and so I have named the last three Marrok (Legend), Aaric (Nunchaku) and Sharne (Knife).

Everyone focuses on helping Tifa with the bar so the rest of their comrades can visit. Zack easily helps drum up business within ShinRa's lower ranks. Tifa quickly earns her usual reputation as a fair but no nonsense barkeep, and business booms.

She's surprised when Elena shows up, shyly handing her a resume and asking if she has any spots open. She's got something of a soft spot for the blonde, so she hires her. She almost offers her a room upstairs to stay in, but she refrains for the moment.

Zack introduces Cloud to some of the people he works with, and Tifa has to pause for a moment. Her best friend is standing in a crowd of people, a smile on his face, laughing with Zack. This is what Cloud's life should have been to begin with, and Tifa finds new determination to change the future, not only for her newly revived friends, but also for her oldest friend to have a decent life.

It's not long before they start seeing familiar faces, and she wonders if Rude will ever develop that crush on her if he never sees her saving the world. She kind of hopes he does as she watches him interact with Cloud. Although, she's not really sure how it'd work, she's sixteen, going on seventeen, and he's somewhere in his mid twenties in this time, and he has no clue she's really twenty three.

The Turks used to frequent her bar bar often, but they don't know her now. She takes a deep breath and leaves her customers to Elena, promising to be back momentarily. She leaps over the counter with a calm she doesn't feel and marches up to the pair with her hands on her hips.

"I should warn you that I don't tolerate any violence in my bar. You may be Turks but I refuse to allow any sort of misbehavior." She glares and knows the smile on her face is a little bloodthirsty. She waits a moment letting the unspoken threat sink in and winks at Rude. "Now, what can I get you boys?"

She takes their order and ignores Reno's mutters about her. She got her point across and maybe also her interest, and that's what matters. Elena looks at her with something akin to awe, and if that adds a bounce to her step, no one needs to know.

* * *

 Cloud can tell that Reno and Zack together is a terrible mix. It's a terrible mix now, as they bend their heads together and plot pranks, and that's with a daunting mission at hand, so he can only imagine what they must have been like before.

Rude ignores them both, instead politely asking about the pretty woman tending the bar. Cloud hides a smile and answers his questions, almost happy with the knowledge that some things wouldn't change at all.

He seems very thrown off that Tifa is only sixteen, she neither looks nor acts like it, and Cloud leaves him to contemplate it.

* * *

 Now that they've made contacts with at least two of the current Turks, they start seeing Tseng around. It takes a while, but he finally manages to catch Aerith alone, because it's least suspicious if he talks to her.

He quickly informs her of Rufus's plans, then goes to rejoin his group in the back corner of the room. He rolls his eyes at Reno's antics, the redhead ribbing his partner about his obvious interest in Tifa. Tseng decides to put his two cents in, just because it would be interesting to see if the woman would include him in their plans and he has no wish for him to be hurt by that AVALANCHE spy again.

"You could do much worse, Rude. I approve." He leaves the man to sputter and instead watches as Aerith bounces her way over to Zack, slinging her arms around his neck and standing on her tiptoes to whisper in his ear. It looks intimate, but the slight twitch in the man's arm gives away that she's relaying information. Zack grins down at her and pecks her on the lips before releasing her to go tell Cloud. Tseng is pretty fascinated by watching their group work.

"Boss, I don't mean to pry, but isn't it a bit inappropriate to be so interested in a mission?" Tseng looks at Cissnei, almost laughing at the disapproving look on her face.

"It's fine. I have my eye on someone else." He says and takes a sip of his drink, eyeing Elena out of the corner of his eye. Somewhere to his left, Emma makes a choking noise.

* * *

 Zack  _finally_ convinces Angeal to go down to the 'cool new bar,' probably because Genesis also agrees to go. Sephiroth is busy with a mission, which is probably for the best, because he's not sure Cloud can handle that particular part of the mission. Zack isn't thrilled about Genesis coming, in fact he's convinced the redhead is only doing this for his own selfish reasons and isn't worried about the planet at all.

Still, the three of them make their way to Seventh Heaven, and all of Zack's nervous energy is real. He's going to introduce his mentor to Aerith and he knows they'll like each other, but _what if they don't_. 

He fidgets nonstop, Genesis snaps at him a few times, but then she's there, and he pulls out the pink ribbon she's so fond of and he helps her put it on. Then he lets her into their booth and introduces the two. After some initial awkwardness, it's all gardening talk, and Zack couldn't be happier.

* * *

 Genesis excuses himself as quickly as he can. He may feel grateful to Zack, but he has no desire to sit and listen to the three of them play family. Instead, he scans the room and makes his way toward the blond at the bar.

"To become the dew that quenches the land, to spare the sands, the seas, the skies, I offer thee this silent sacrifice." Cloud looks up with confusion, head tilted with curiosity, and Genesis is struck by how  _young_ he is. Genesis himself is only twenty three, but still, he's shocked. He recovers quickly enough, sliding into the stool next to him. "The lost act of Loveless."

Cloud hums and sips his drink. "All I can really remember from the play is that last bit, I fell asleep when I went to see it. He leaves because the people he loves are waiting I think? Mmn....'I'll come back to you. Even if you don't promise to wait. I'll return knowing you'll be here.' Or something like that, right?"

Genesis looks at him, almost offended. "We really need to remedy that. I'll take you but if you fall asleep there will be dire consequences." Cloud laughs at the smirk on his face, but agrees. Then he gets serious and leans in close.

"Rufus is sending Tseng to go get some legendary Turk out from house arrest in Costa Del Sol, then they'll team up with Zack and take out AVALANCHE before they can get too far. Veld will keep his position, and they'll rescue his daughter. Vincent already gave them what they need and they should fall pretty quickly without Rufus giving his information or support." Genesis makes sure his body language reads as flirtatious as they talk, not wanting any of the many Turks to get suspicious. "And Barret took Jessie, Wedge, and Biggs to Corel and they're mining and drilling. Once Tseng finishes his bit, that legendary Turk is going to make some bombs that Barret and the rest will put in the reactors all around."

"Reeve wants to look for further alternatives. He's started looking into clean energy from what I hear. That still leaves the issue of what you're going to do about Angeal and I. I may not have the wound that starts the process of degradation, but if I start refusing to fight with Sephiroth, he'll know something is wrong. I think he suspects something as it is." Cloud stiffens at the mention of the ShinRa general, not that Genesis can blame him. "I suppose we should do something about that as well."

"...Angeal is with your cure right now. Aerith cured everyone of Geostigma when that happened, she can cure your degradation too. As for Sephiroth, once Vincent finishes with DeepGround, he's going to talk to him. Barret is taking care of Jenova once he hits the reactor." The way Cloud watches the pretty brunette girl leaves Genesis with an odd feeling. It's not quite jealousy, but there is a suprising curl of possessiveness to it. He shakes his head and returns to lighthearted flirting.

* * *

 Rufus watches the Turks as they report to Veld. He's ordered Tseng to rescue Veld's daughter as soon as possible. If he can get the director of the Turks indebted to his person, he can get the rest of them to fall in line.

The rest of his plans involve overthrowing his father. This time, he plans to use his older brother. Lazard Deusericus is a good man, one who wants to help the people of the slums. As long as he can promise that, perhaps team him up with Reeve Tuesti, he should be able to get him on board.

Lazard is smart, and with the two of them working together, he's sure he can get ShinRa to new heights.

Beyond his political machinations, his only concern is Reno. It took many years of service and camaraderie for the two of them to get together and Rufus had no desire to wait for the man to make a move. This time, _he_ would seduce the redhead.

* * *

 Cid and Shera are very helpful in getting Vincent close to the ShinRa building. Vincent is reluctant to leave the disbanding of Avalanche to only Tseng and Zack, but he has to get Shelke.

It's easy to sneak in through the President's entrance, especially with Rufus Shinra helping him. He sneaks in and quickly finds his way far underground. He's unsurprised to find Cait Sith trailing behind him, the robotic cat silent as he looks around.

The cat makes quick work of a security panel and he hacks into the network. Vincent watches in amusement as the cameras fall. He nods his thanks to Cait Sith and trudges further in, sticking to the shadows of the dimly pit hallways. 

He's surprised at the amount of people inside and he turns to the cat to ask about it.

"Ye cannae be'at shocked, th' Wutai war isnae ower yit. while they main be experimentin', there's nae end tae th' amoont ay injured SOLDIERs. SOLDIER unit 14 picks up th' woonded an' they treat them back haur. Ah wonder if we can rehabilitate them back intae society?" Cait Sith is quiet for once, somber as they sneak into the base.

"I'm sure with Weiss defecting, a vast majority will go with him." The gray cat grins at that, beaming and jumping up on his shoulders.

"Yoo're a guid cheil, Vincent."

* * *

 Weiss growls as a Restricter comes too close, but otherwise does nothing. Shelke pats his hand in what she hopes is a soothing manner as she makes food in their small kitchen. She can see Nero glaring at her from the corner of her eye, but pays no attention to him. The man needs to get over his weird obsession with his brother.

She feels herself being lifted, and forces herself to relax as she finds herself being carried and settles on Weiss's lap. Nero's glare worsens and she can almost feel the amusement coming off of Rosso. Azul just seems confused that she's there at all, more concerned with food than he'd ever be with her.

Weiss cards his hand through her hair and Shelke thinks that if this were anyone else she'd find it uncomfortable. As it is, she's had years of programming-although none of that has happened yet, has it-and she knows he's doing this because he's upset that nothing worked. 

Nero stops in front of them, a sneer on his hidden face, and the straitjacket still in place. "What is this girl doing here?"

Rosso's laughter echoes in the room as she sits at the table, some elaborate protein shake in hand. "She is like a little doll, no? Very breakable. Perhaps Weiss is taken with her."

She can feel his muscles tense. He's at a loss, not sure how to proceed, not sure how to move forward when everything he's been promised falls to pieces. They've talked in their time researching and she's forgiven his sins. She presses her tiny hand against his forearm and she looks at the rest of the Tsviets with a fire she's never felt.

"Shelke the Transparent. I was brought here to perform synaptic net dives." Nero looks like he's swallowed something bad and Rosso looks delighted by her sass. Azul joins them at the table with a plate full of food, uninterested in the games the others play. She turns in Weiss's lap, takes his face in her hands and directs his attention to her. He needs to focus. She motions to the camera in the corner, noting that it's off, Vincent is coming now. "Shall I tell them, or will you?"

Weiss grunts and takes out his PHS, tapping out a message. Shelke rolls her eyes and turns back to rest of them.

"You don't know me well, and you don't trust me. But the events that are going to transpire cannot be allowed to happen. You'll follow him into hell, but there's a simpler way." She's got their attention, but it's out of disbelief that she's addressing them in such a manner. "What if you could see the sky? Be free to make your choices? Unchained, unrestrained, and in the open?" 

Rosso leans in, as does Nero, as Azul watches through narrowed eyes. "And? How would you propose we do this, little one? The amount of people we would have to cut through to make such a thing happen...the Restrictors would never allow it."

"Dear Weiss has plans to overthrow them, of course, but what you're proposing is to be outside of DeepGround entirely. It's impossible." Azul nods along with Nero, and Weiss takes that moment to speak.

"We end in failure." All eyes are on him, unspoken questions shining in their eyes. "We end in failure and only Shelke makes it out unscathed. Omega is defeated and we are at an end. The world goes on." Weiss removes Shelke from his lap and stands, moving to his brother. He cups his face, Nero leaning into it, a small smile on his face. "I refuse to lose my brother again. I refuse to fail that badly. Genesis Rhapsodos rescued me and came up with this plan. The man who defeated us all is on his way. He will get us out, and we will join him in his mission to right the world." His hand drops and he turns to the others. "We will be free."

"What about the chips?" No one expects Azul to be logical, but it's his one concern. "How are we to be free when the Restrictors have complete control?"

"It's taken care of. A little cat will come and disable all the chips. I will take him to the mainframe under the guise of a Synaptic Net Dive and he will hack everything." Rosso leans back in her chair, a nervous look on her face.

"You really think this will work?"

"Time will tell." Nero smirks at all of them and they break, all going their separate ways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright so about that timeline, I checked to make sure my canon knowledge was correct, and to see the ages for those I didn't know. There are some people that aren't given canon ages, so I did the best I could. In other news, I am having a great time with Cait Sith's dialogue.
> 
> Bugenhagen-126  
> Hojo, Lucrecia Crescent, Vincent Valentine-53 though Vincent looks to be about 24  
> President Shinra-52  
> Palmer-49  
> Nanaki, Veld-44  
> Heidigger-37  
> Reeve Tuesti, Barret Wallace, Lazard Deusericus-31  
> Dyne, Eleanor, Marrok(Legend)-30  
> Myrna Wallace, Freyra(Shotgun)-29  
> Cid Highwind, Maur(Martial Arts male)-28  
> Azul the Cerulean, Juget(Martial Arts female), Balto(Katana)-26  
> Rude, Tseng-25  
> Shera, Emma(Gun), Alvis Crisis(Rod)-24  
> Genesis Rhapsodos, Angeal Hewley, Sephiroth, Sharne(Knife)-23  
> Ruluf(Two Guns)-22  
> Reno, Rufus Shinra, Cissnei-21  
> Elfé/Felicia, Kunsel, Wedge-20  
> Zack Fair, Elena, Jessie-19  
> Rosso the Crimson, Aerith Gainsborough, Biggs, Aaric(Nunchaku)-18  
> Shalua Rui, Cloud Strife-17  
> Weiss the Immaculate, Nero the Sable, Tifa Lockhart-16  
> Shelke Rui, Yuffie Kisaragi-9


	10. Remedy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tseng goes to find the Legendary Turk, Marrok, and Vincent and Cait Sith start their rescue mission.

Tseng remembers the first time he did this and therefore is  _not_ looking forward to this mission. Once he hits Costa Del Sol, he heads straight for the inn. Marrok has only been under house arrest for a few months at this point, but he's still pretty certain he'll find the man with at least three women and a bottle of Icicle vodka.

Still, this isn't an official mission, so he changes. He knows he doesn't quite look like a tourist or a resident, but he makes his way down to the beach anyway.

Marrok is sprawled out on the sand with several women surrounding him, a Blue Whale in his hand. Tseng is only half amused by how right he is as he makes his way over.

"Marrok. May I speak with you?" The man gives him a once-over and sighs dramatically, turning to his entourage.

"Ladies, I've gotta apologize, this guy has no idea how to treat such fine creatures such as yourselves. I'll be right back!" He flashes a smile, the women giggling at him, drains his drink, grabs Tseng's wrist and pulls him away. When he stops, he turns to him and crosses with his arms. "Why are you here?"

Tseng sighs, wishing he had a drink of his own for this conversation. "Unofficially, I am in need of your help...in an official capacity, I'll be sent here in a year. You will turn me down, and eventually come back of your own volition. The amount of damage that will do, not to ShinRa, but the world, needs to be avoided. I understand that you do not want to go back to bloodshed, but in the end, it will lead to a lot less."

"You say that with such certainty." Despite Marrok's lax nature, he is a Turk, and he looks at Tseng with sharp eyes. "There's something you're hiding. I wonder what it is?"

Tseng doesn't look away, but he remains silent, gaze steady. Marrok sighs then, running a hand through his hair. "Fine. I can't say I'm happy about it, but there seems to be something going on here. You can brief me on the way back."

* * *

Zack is hesitant to leave, but he remembers going on missions to defeat AVALANCHE. The memories aren't pleasant, and the thought of fighting Ravens makes him grimace. On top of it, it's not like he can just walk away from ShinRa, but Tseng says he'll take care of that, so he doesn't worry too much about it.

Instead, he worries about his blond friend and the way Genesis is paying attention to him. Cloud has been through too much for someone like Genesis to come in and play him now, and he's worried that's exacly what the redhead's doing. Beyond that, Cloud is going to see Sephiroth eventually, and he'd rather be around for that, in case something goes wrong. He has a very bad feeling that he won't be.

Tifa is the one who convinces him to go in the end. She talks about how they all fought, how Cloud wasn't enhanced the first time he killed him after all, and how she was the one to untangle his memories. She's not wrong, and Zack trusts her to calm Cloud down before he murders his silver haired friend.

When Tseng comes back with Marrok in tow, he leaves without protest, heading off to Nibelhiem to rescue Veld's family and prevent the creation of AVALANCEHE.

* * *

Vincent carries Cait Sith through the tunnels, examining his surroundings as this time he's not being chased. There are plenty of spaces to hide, which is a terrible design flaw in his opinion, but it works for his purpose. He's aware of the sudden intense gaze on him, but he ignores it for the moment. If a member of the Tsviets wishes to speak to him, then they can come out.

It takes longer than he expects for her to come out, but she's there, standing with her hands on her hips and her odd fur cape behind her. Rosso the Crimson.

"It is true then, what they say? You are coming to take us out?" There's a guarded look in her eyes, like she wants to hope that it will work out but is scared to. Vincent can understand that well enough.

"You'll be able to see the sky and feel the wind." Her eyes light up a little and Vincent is angry all over again at Hojo. She isn't the woman he fought, not yet, there's still a certain light to her that they haven't managed to take away from her. She isn't completely broken. He can only hope that holds true for the other members of the Tsviets as well.

"Come then. I am impatient for this so called rescue and I do not wish to sit around. This little cat is to go with Shelke, yes?"

"That's reit lass!" She looks surprised for a moment, but nods and turns to walk away.

"Follow me, then."

* * *

Rufus isn't pleased about his lack of power. He isn't vice president yet, and people don't yet know what he's capable of. He's very aware of that fact as he makes his way to the Director of SOLDIER's office. He can feel the stares of various men and women sinking into his back, can hear more than a few whispers and snickers. He's annoyed, but he walks with his head held high and with a sense of purpose until he reaches the office. He lets himself have a moment to collect himself, then knocks on the door, small smirk in place. At least Hollander hasn't talked to him yet.

Lazard's voice rings out as he beckons hm inside. He's surprised to see him, but like any good head of department, quickly schools his expression. "Rufus, what a surprise. Is there something I can help you with?"

Rufus looks around the room, scanning it for bugs before taking a seat and leaning in close. "I think...that both of us rather...dislike the current model of ShinRa. Everyone has their own plans of course, whether to take over the company or make it fall. I, however, want to see to it that the people survive. Our father wouldn't hesitate to drop an entire plate on innocent people if he thought that a group of 'radicals' was hiding there. I can't approve of that. And we all know of at least some of the darker things that go in this company. Don't you think it's time that stopped?"

Lazard blinks at him, folding his hands together and leaning back into his chair in thought. "So you wish to include me in your plans?"

Rufus inclines his head, and drops the act for a moment. "There are a lot things ShinRa has to pay for, even more if things continue down this path. Our father is not a good or kind man. I would rather not let him continue to destroy everything he touches."

Lazard is quiet as he looks at him. Rufus is serious in that last statement, no sort of play involved. He folds with a sigh and nods. "Alright. What would you have me do?"

* * *

Emma is silent as she watches her sister scurry around the bar. She's flustered about something, but what she has no idea. She shakes her head when Elena trips over something and turns back to her group. Her more bubbly colleagues are having some inane discussion about SOLDIER.

"I bet Cissnei likes Zack Fair, she spends an awful lot of time around him!" Aaric grins at her, bouncing lightly in his seat.

"He is rather attractive." Sharne takes a sip of her drink and motions around. "I'm a little disappointed he's not here tonight."

"And he's fun to work with on missions, guy likes the fun stuff." According to Freyra, that means running headfirst into danger.

Cissnei shakes her head, laughing. "Too bad for you, he's taken. Besides, he's not the one I'm interested in."

"That belies some sort of sexual or romantic interest. Your own curiosity doesn't count." Ruluf snickers as Cissnei pushes him.

"I'm telling you, we should snatch him from SOLDIER, he's great with information!"

Emma sighs at her team and gets up to order another drink from the bar. The brunette behind the counter stops talking to the blond across from her as she approaches. It's odd and she wouldn't think anything of it, but the boy she's talking to eyes her with suspicion.

She walks a bit away, just far enough that she can hear them, and grabs her sister's arm. She talks to her briefly, unsurprised at the hostility Elena shows. She lets her go and sips on her drink, trying to look dejected as she leans against the wall.

The brunette is back to talking, leaning over the counter to speak to the blond. It takes a moment, but it starts to get interesting.

"How long do you think it will take Zack and Tseng to get back?" The girl sounds worried, she notes as she continues to sip at her drink.

"Don't know. Give them time. They're rescuing a family and stopping a violent rebel group from existing." He sounds a little disinterested to Emma.

"And Vincent?"

"DeepGround takes time to infiltrate. With Shelke helping, they should be up soon." She blinks at that, and hurries back to her table, deep in thought.

* * *

Sephiroth comes back from his mission rather quickly, not that Genesis is surprised by it. He's long over the curl of jealousy that once came with that fact, after all he was the one to survive until the end, not Sephiroth. Angeal suggests they go to Seventh Heaven for drinks and a late lunch, he's starting to get rather fond of Tifa with her honorable dealings and spunky attitude. The redhead suggests going somewhere else, there's no way the silveret will be comfortable with people staring.

In the end, they go to Seventh Heaven, Sephiroth dressed in civvies instead of his usual attire. Genesis is unhappy with this outcome; Cloud is so fascinating to him and he delights in his attention, if Sephiroth is there, there is no doubt in his mind that the blond's attention will be on his future nemesis and not him. He's also rather concerned about how the blond will react, he's not sure he ever really met Sephiroth before he went insane.

They sit at a table near the back, away from the few Turks that are there. Angeal grins when Tifa comes to the table, checking to see if they're getting anything to eat. She startles at Sephiroth, staring for several long seconds before Genesis clears his throat and orders a Banora White ale and some chicken sandwich he'd seen her make for Cloud. She nods and smiles at him gratefully, happy to be pulled out of her shock. The other two think nothing of it, thinking it was because she recognized the silver haired man, and went on with their order.

He watches her walk away and whisper something in Cloud's ear at the bar before continuing on. The blond whirls around so fast, Genesis is surprised he doesn't have whiplash. The look of complete devestation on the boy's face hurts him in a way he didn't know it could. He hasn't known Cloud all that long, but he's associated him with a certain strength, even now that he's back in an unenhanced body. To see him look so lost and broken resonates within him. Cloud pulls himself together slowly and notices him watching, giving a small smile and a wave. Genesis returns it and turns back to his friends, surprised to find Sephiroth also staring at the blond.

There's a look of wonder on his friend's face, almost like he can't stop staring. Genesis guesses that even going back, there's a draw that time can't quite erase. The curl of jealousy is back in full force, and he has to stop himself from saying something he'd regret.

Angeal catches his look and sighs, thinking it had to do with their rivalry, which had strangely seemed nonexistant as of late. It had to rear up at some point.

Genesis can see Cloud tensing up as Sephiroth continues to stare. He tries to keep his mouth shut, really he does, but he snaps. "Stop that!"

Sephiroth turns his gaze to him, confusion all over his face. "I'm sorry?"

"You're make him tense up, stop staring." His voice is loud and several people turn to look at them. Angeal says his name in warning.

Then suddenly Cloud is there, charming smile on his face. Genesis can tell it's forced, but there is some warmth to his eyes when he looks at the redhead. "Hey Genesis. Angeal, nice to see you again." The burly man smiles and gives a little wave. He turns to Sephiroth and his eyes are icy. The silveret shivers almost at his attention. "Cloud Strife. Zack talks about you sometimes."

They lock stares and the intensity makes Genesis grit his teeth. "Cloud...It's a pleasure to meet you." Cloud twitches slightly but forces a pleasant smile.

"Mn. Genesis, can I talk to you?" Genesis slides out of the booth as Tifa, looking spooked, comes with their order. She darts away as soon as she sets everything down and Cloud is just as quick in getting away from Sephiroth. When they're far enough away, he turns to Genesis, practically spitting. "Why is he here?"

"I tried to convince Angeal that this wasn't the place to bring him, but he insisted that this was the perfect place to unwind after coming back from a mission." Cloud deflates, but still looks angry. Genesis grabs his hands and unfurls them, not wanting him to hurt his unenhanced body. "Is there anything I can do?"

"No." Cloud exhales and the anger leaves as he leans his head against the redhead's shoulder. "I had to face him sometime. We're trying to save everybody, right? I just...I don't know if I'll ever be able to see him and not want to jump for a sword."

He could feel the blond's unsaid words. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really." The puff of air warms his shoulder and his lips twitch. "I probably should though."

Genesis hums in agreement but says nothing, letting the younger man collect himself. Cloud pulls away and tugs him up the stairs and into his room. He curls up on the bed, leaving plenty of room for the SOLDIER. The redhead sits close, patiently waiting for him to speak.

"I was fourteen when I first heard about Sephiroth. Nibelhiem is a small town, and I'm too different. Mom's not all there, no dad, I've always been rather small and pretty, I was easy to pick on and I didn't have a lot of friends. Instead, I gathered as much information on Sephiroth as I could. He was a hero, and I wanted to be just like him. I wanted to go right then, and I tried, but that didn't work. I left the second I turned eighteen. It wasn't anything like I'd thought it be. I was scrawny and pathetic and weak, and SOLDIER is a lot more selective than anyone is led to believe. I had been denied my dream, but then there he was. I had no idea what to do, and he just said 'you can always try again.' It was an offhand comment, not even directed at me in particular, but he was my hero, the reason I wanted to be a SOLDIER, and it gave me so much hope.

"I never got into the program, failed the psych eval, too sensitive to mako, too whatever. It didn't matter, I had Zack at that point, and then we went on that damn mission. I promised I wouldn't go back to Nibelhiem until I became a SOLDIER, so I was nervous. I was so excited though, to be on a mission with Sephiroth, with my hero. And then everything burned.

"That man was my first crush, my hero, the person who shaped my dreams, and he burnt my town down. And I killed him. It was devestating. And then I had to chase him down again, not knowing who I was or with any of my memories, and I had to kill him so many times, copies of him, not even the real thing. I've had to end him and chase him and kill him again and again. He's shaped a lot of my life, even when he wasn't my hero.

"And now here he is, the original, and he has no idea what he's done, what he's capable of, and he can't answer for any of it, because that's not him yet. I don't know how to deal with him, because as much as I never wanted to kill my hero, it's not him any more and I laid to rest a lot of those feelings. To have to deal with them all again... It's a lot to handle."

Genesis says nothing, instead looks at the man next to him, and then embraces him. Cloud stays frozen for a few moments then his arms slowly wrap around the redhead, and neither of them say anything about the tears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These may be a little slower coming out because my tablet is broken currently, and therefore all that I have to type on is my phone. This won't ever be abandoned though, I have waited a long time to write this.  
> I'd once again like to say thank you for all your comments and kudos, they mean so much to me!


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